


Soft Like Clay, Hard Like Clay

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-17
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-25 02:04:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9797585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: John's body is something Dirk can't stop noticing.Silly drabble I scrapped on the road to A Pound of Flesh (wip).





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kindergraph](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindergraph/gifts).



The room was chilled, the AC unit Dirk had repaired was blaring in the window. He sat on the futon, mug of coffee in one hand, a gadget in the other. People often brought him little things to work on in his spare time and he was glad for it. He'd been pretty bored lately, what with Jake not really being around much. 

He set his mug down and opened the back panel. He took out the batteries, set them down, and was about to try a pair of fresh ones when there was a knock at his door. He blinked and stood to get the door, setting the gadget down next to the mug of coffee.

When he opened the door, his mouth fell open a fraction."John?" He asked, opening the door further. The buck-toothed man smiled with a sort of full-body shrug. He looked a little worse for wear, honestly. His hair was shaggy and his filled-out form seemed softer than the last time Dirk saw him. Hm.

"Hey!" John said warily, his body rocking back and forth awkwardly."Uh, sorry for dropping by on such short notice, but you weren't answering your phone!" Dirk stared for a moment, then opened the door and let him inside. John, who had quite a few inches on him, moved past Dirk like a ship passing by a fishing boat. His height always caught Dirk off-guard.

Dirk shut the door softly and turned to look at the burly man."What's up, man?" He said casually, sticking his half-gloved hands into his jean pockets. John turned around and grinned in that sloppy, goofy way he did when he was nervous."Man, if you checked your messages..." He puffed out his cheeks, a face too immature for someone his age."But, uh, I'm just sorta bored! And I figured me and you haven't really talked much, so I decided to drop by."

He walked around the futon and flopped down, checking out Dirk's TV. Dirk slowly walked around to join him, making sure to sit as far away as possible. He noticed that John had sat on the side with his project and sighed, leaning back."As good a reason as any." He mumbled, his accent putting a heavy slur in each vowel. 

John made himself comfortable, his big arm swung up to grab the back of the couch and almost smacked Dirk in the process. He had found the remote and was turning the TV on. Dirk swalloed nervously and hoped he'd remembered to turn the input off of his...movie.

He let out a huge sigh when the screen showed some random football game, throwing his long legs out in front of him. John flicked through a couple channels."So, you been pretty lonely over here?" He asked casually, not taking his eyes from the TV. Dirk nodded, then realized John couldn't see that. He hummed in response.

John looked at him, then, brows raised curiously above his thick-rimmed black glasses."Yeah?" He turned back."Man, I'm sorry. If I'd known, I would've come over here sooner!" Dirk made a face."S'cool. Don't gotta apologize." When he spoke verbally, he sometimes forgot words and blended things together. He hated that he noticed that. But it didn't seem like John did.

"So, tell me about yourself." Dirk tensed."What kind of stuff do you like?" With that, John started to look around the dimly lit apartment complex. Dirk had painstakingly recreated his home, with some help from Dave. It'd been a fun bonding exercise for the few months it lasted. Jake didn't like being there, much, and mostly chilled with GCATavrosprite elsewhere.

Dirk cleared his throat, making John take his eyes off the lewd posters littering the walls."Uh," He muttered, adjusting himself."Robotics. Games. Um." John was looking right at him and it was making him nervous."Uh, horses...books, I guess? I don't really...do much." 

John blinked, then shrugged."That all sounds pretty cool, though!" Dirk relaxed when John turned back to the TV."I don't do much at all these days, usually just sort of chill at home being bored." Dirk nodded."Sometimes the others come over to hang out, but not really, and I don't really have the energy to go and hang out with them. Plus they're always so busy."

It seemed like it only took about two minutes for John's demeanor to change completely. He seemed relaxed, yeah, but also kind of...sad. Dirk wanted to mention that his brows kept bunching up in strange ways when he spoke, because he figured he didn't know he was being so obvious. Maybe he did. Who knows.

Dirk stretched, cracking his hips and back. He folded his arms over his chest."Sounds 'bout right." He slurred."'Bout what I've been up to. That'n buildin' robots." He said it like 'robawts' and John smiled. He thought it was pretty cute for such a cool guy to have such a weird accent. He seemed a little embarrassed about it, though, so John kept that to himself.

They sat there for awhile watching trash TV and talking about their family and friends. Dirk learned that John enjoyed pranks and low brow humor, John learned that Dirk was weird about personal space. 

After about an hour, John got up and stretched. Dirk swallowed when he saw his blue shirt rise above his navel. He looked so firm, but soft at the same time. Dirk fought the urge to reach out and touch him, instead tightening his arms around himself.

John turned."Hey, do you have any snacks or anything?" Dirk nodded."Mmyeah, the kitchen's over there. Help yerself." John smiled and bounded over to the kitchen. He was way too big to be fucking jumping around like that, Dirk though. But John's steps hardly made any noise at all. Dirk pursed his lips, turning to watch John walk. 

He opened the fridge and pulled out two cans of Orange Crush, setting them on the counter. Then, he grabbed some leftover pizza and shut the fridge."Dude, nice! I love this stuff." He shouted, tossing the pizza into the microwave without much care. He was so exuberant in his movements, almost careless. But he never knocked anything over or bumped into anything. Graceful, Dirk thought, like an Ape was graceful.

John walked over and handed Dirk a paper plate of pizza and a can of soda. He thanked him softly. When John sat back down on the couch, Dirk noticed that even though he just about slammed down, the couch barely moved or made a sound. His curiosity got the better of him."Hey, John." He said. John turned, brows up and mouth full of pizza.

"Hm?" Dirk put his plate down, food untouched. He'd already eaten."How th'fuck are you so graceful? Hardly make a damn noise and you must weigh a'least 200 pounds." John made a pained face an set his food down. Oh. He hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. Dirk's hand shot out to rest on John's shoulder. John looked at him with a shocked expression.

"Ah, hey. I didn't mean it like that." He said softly."You're just...You're kind of an imposing dude but you make the impression of a fuckin' ballerina." Dirk motioned with his hand. John's face didn't perk up at all, much to Dirk's disappointment. Shit."Ah, yeah. I use my breath powers to sort of, um, soften..." He tightened his lips and shrugged."...me, I guess."

Dirk chewed on his lip nervously, taking his hand of John's shoulder. He always did shit like this. Made someone feel bad and then struggled to fix it because he was a fucking moron. He sat back and crossed his arms again, frustrated. After a moment of silence, he muttered."Sorry. I don't...I like your body." He'd regretted it the second it came out.

John flushed, turning to look at Dirk. He couldn't believe someone that skinny, that fit, had just said that about him. He must've been lying to make him feel better. John huffed a laugh."Dude, you don't gotta lie, I know I'm fat! It's just, I guess I hope....people don't notice? It's dumb." He shrugged and looked down at the plate on his lap.

Dirk chewed on his cheek for a second before breathing a sigh."I don't lie." There was a stillness in the air for awhile, both of them just letting it hang there. John's ears suddenly felt hot, his clothes suddenly too tight. He swallowed nervously."Oh. Um...Thank you?" Dirk snorted. John turned to look at him."What! You're way more in shape than me, and aren't you like super gay? So, it means a lot, I guess!"

They both paused, looking at each other, then dissolved into a fit of laughter. Dirk smacked John in the thigh playfully."Je-hesus, dude. You're a riot." he leaned forward on his legs, looking at John with a playful smirk."Yeah, you're cute. You think I'm cute?" He grinned, bringing his arm up to rest his chin on his hand.

John stuttered and blushed, rubbing at his face nervously. Dirk's grin didn't falter for a second."Yeah, I guess? I mean! I'm not-" He made a face."I'm not gay or anything! Don't get the wrong idea here. I just, you're pretty obviously...good looking? Like, in this sort of super geeky way. Like someone who could pull off cosplay?" Dirk snorted again, just really enjoying John's super gay gushing. God, he was oblivious.

"Dude. It's cool to find another guy hot. I dunno why you have so many hang-ups about it, considerin' your best bro is hells of gay." He laid back, crossing his legs at the ankle. Joh's face fell a little, his cute caterpillar brows knitting in thought."Well...I mean, I dunno." He shrugged."I can't really talk about that stuff, it's hard! I don't, like," He puffed his cheeks out, ears flushing pink."I don't, like, get boners thinking about guys!"

Dirk hummed thoughtfully."Do you get boners over girls?" John fell silent for a moment, then he shrugged."Not really." The way he spoke was softer this time. Dirk pursed his lips."Maybe you're thinkin' about the wrong stuff. Or maybe you jus' don't like anyone. That's cool, too." He replied, voice equally soft. John glanced back at him, eyes curious and hopeful."Yeah?" He said, even softer this time. Dirk smiled."Yeah."

John relaxed, his body melting back into the couch."That's a big, stupid relief." Dirk patted his hand. There was another moment of TV-filled quiet before John spoke again."...Thanks. You know, I've had a lot on my mind for the past couple years." He looked at Dirk with a sad expression. God, this guy was so open with his emotions it was wild."It's hard to believe having one gay dude tell me I'm cute, and that it's cool to just...not worry about that stuff, could put my mind at ease so much. It's dumb..." He laughed, covering his face.

Dirk smiled again."Just relax and do whatever feels natural. Stop fighting yourself on fuckin' everything." He mumbled, his tone light. John breathed deeply, then dropped his hands to his sides. He picked up the plate of pizza and set it down next to him, then turned to face Dirk."Honestly? I think I just wanna hang here forever. I haven't felt this happy in months." Dirk smirked.  
"I'm cool with that."


End file.
